Artichoke Rice Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 package Rice-a-Roni "Chicken"
1 package Rice-a-Roni "Fried Rice"
1/2 Cup chopped peppers
1/2 Cup chopped green onions
1/2 Cup pimento stuffed olives
2 - 6 oz jars marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 tsp curry powder or more to taste

DIRECTIONS
Make rice according to package directions. Mix all ingredients together.

Pao Tsai - Pickled Vegetables

INGREDIENTS
8 mini cucumbers (or 4 regular sized ones, I prefer the English kind as they're crispier)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 dried chili peppers (more or less to taste)
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Peel cucumbers and cut them into smaller pieces. Mine were about 1 1/2 inches long each.
2. In a bowl dissolve sugar into vinegar. Add garlic and seeds from chili peppers.
3. Put cucumbers and hot peppers into a vessel or jar. Top with liquid mixture.
Close jar and put into fridge overnight. Let sit at least 24 hours if not longer. The flavor will get stronger as it sits.

{more details}

Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream & Dill Dressing

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish (optional)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 to 6 Kirby cucumbers (about 1 pound), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, lemon juice, and dill. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk well to combine.
2. Add cucumbers, and toss to coat. Garnish with more dill, if desired. Serve, or refrigerate, covered, up to 4 hours.

Cucumber, Cantaloupe and Squash Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 yellow summer squashes (about 1 pound), unpeeled
1 English cucumber (about 10 ounces), unpeeled
1 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 large cantaloupe, rind removed

DIRECTIONS
1. Make the dressing: Combine yogurt, lime zest and juice, salt, cumin, and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate 20 minutes.
2. Make the salad: Using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline, shave squashes and cucumber into wide ribbons, stopping when you reach seeds. Toss with vinegar and salt. Cover, and refrigerate. Shave cantaloupe into ribbons, and refrigerate.
3. Just before serving, drain cucumber and squash ribbons, and toss with cantaloupe. Drizzle with dressing.

Grilled Beets with Dilled Cucumbers

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds beets, trimmed
1/2 cup ice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat grill to high. In heavy-duty foil, wrap beets, in one layer, with ice. Cover grill; cook until beets are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 40 to 45 minutes, turning once.
2. Rub off skins with paper towel. Cut beets into wedges. Toss in bowl with oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
3. In another bowl, toss cucumber slices with sour cream, dill, and remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
4. Place beets on platter; top with cucumbers.

Quick Beer-Chicken Grilling Marinade

INGREDIENTS
One 12-ounce can or bottle beer, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling
6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 baking potatoes
Olive oil, for drizzling
Lime wedges, for serving

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the beer, butter, garlic, chili powder, brown sugar and salt. Add the drumsticks, seal the bag and let marinate for about a 1/2 hour.
2. Transfer the chicken to the grill. Grill the drumsticks, brushing with the beer marinade and turning occasionally, until the skin is golden and crisp and the juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve the chicken with the lime wedges.

Curried Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain yogurt
5 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bunch green onions, chopped (1 cup)
1 red or green apple, chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes (5 oz), halved
1/2 cup salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
Bring 4 cups water to a simmer with chicken broth in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool 10 minutes. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

While chicken is cooling, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, curry, lime juice, honey, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken, onion, apple, grapes, and cashews and stir gently to combine.

Peanut Cole Slaw

by Mollie Katzen in her Still Life With Menu cookbook.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 c all natural peanut butter
1/2 c hot water
1/3 c plus 1 T rice vinegar or cider vinegar
3 T brown sugar
1 1/2 t salt
1 T soy sauce
1 t Chinese sesame oil
7 to 8 cups (packed) shredded green cabbage (1 small head)
crushed red pepper to taste
1/2 c peanuts (preferably roasted, unsalted)

1.) In a large bowl mash together peanut butter and hot water until they form a uniform mixture.
2.) Mix in vinegar, sugar, salt, soy sauce & sesame oil.
3.) Pour slowly over the shredded cabbage, stopping several times to stir, to ensure that the cabbage is evenly coated. Add crushed red pepper to taste (remember, this will intensify as the salad marinates.)
4.) Sprinkle the peanuts on top right before serving.

Carmelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart

from Shelterrific

DIRECTIONS
First, prepare a standard tart-crust recipe for a 9- or 10-inch tart pan. I used a cornmeal crust to add some heft and crunch to the dish, but a basic crust would be just as delicious. Make sure you pre-bake the tart crust to keep it from going soggy.

To make the filling: Caramelize 3 large onions in a pat of butter until meltingly sweet and tender; set aside. Next, puree a small log (mine was 4 ounces) of goat cheese, a couple of eggs, a pinch each of salt and pepper, a splash of milk, 1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, and a whole lotta grated parmesan in a food processor or blender. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked tart shell and top with the caramelized onions. Sprinkle with some more fresh thyme and some toasted pine nuts, then pop in a 350F oven until golden and set. Mine took just 25 minutes and it was ready to eat.

Grilled Tilapia with Mango Coconut Rice

::Mango Coconut Rice::

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 large ripe mango, peeled and cubedIn a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in the mango. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove the rice from the heat and fluff with a fork. Place a clean, dry dish towel over the pan, cover with the lid, and let steam for 5 minutes before serving.


::Zesty Grilled Tilapia::

INGREDIENTS
6 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for brushing
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mango Coconut Rice, recipe followsPlace the fish in a large nonmetal dish. Whisk together the 6 tablespoons oil, the orange zest, orange juice, ginger, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste; pour over the fish. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare grill. Brush the fish with additional oil. Grill until fish just flakes when tested with a fork, about 5 minutes per side for each inch of thickness.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

INGREDIENTS
Variety of Heirloom Tomatoes
(usually in season during summer months)
Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar to taste.

Done!

Pulled Pork Sammiches!

INGREDIENTS {serves 6-8}
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 pickled jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons of Chipotle chile powder
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp paprika
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 bay leaf
Salt
3 lbs of pork butt shoulder roast, trim excess fat
Hamburger buns



DIRECTIONS
1.) Purée all of the sauce ingredients (everything except the bay leaf, the pork and the buns) in a blender until smooth. If you have extra time, marinate the pork in the sauce overnight or for several hours before cooking.
2.) Put sauce, bay leaf, and pork into a large pot and add 1 quart of water. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, turning frequently, for 2 hours or until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.

3.) Remove from heat and cool pork in the sauce. When cool, remove the pork from the sauce and shred into small pieces. Set aside.

4.) Reduce the sauce by two thirds. Add the pork back to the sauce. Salt to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve hot over open-face hamburger buns.

Banana Bread with Walnuts (or pecans)

Banana Bread with Walnuts/Pecans: (from Carrie!)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 overripe bananas
1 cup sugar
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ - 1 cup walnuts (or pecans)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat over to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together; set aside.

In a mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the bananas and sugar together for a good 3 minutes; you want a light and fluffy banana cream. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated; no need to overly blend. Fold in the nuts with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Give the pan a good rap on the counter.

Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes – until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Don’t get nervous if the banana bread develops a crack down the center of the loaf; that’s no mistake. Rotate the pan halfway through cooking to ensure even browning.

Cool the bread in the pan for about 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.